It's Cheeromantic
by Fae 206
Summary: Torrance and Missy are enjoying their lives at UCLA where cheerleading is still a big part of Torrance's life...or was. Trying to protect Missy from a sexual assault, Torrance is hit by a car and the accident leaves her scarred and injured. Will she be able to raise her own spirits and trust Cliff who has decided to propose to her? Torrance/Cliff
1. Chapter 0 - The Opening

**AN:** I'm thinking of doing this in a first person POV after this chapter. This is just a short setup. This is also my second Bring It On fic and my first for this decade (the 2010s). I hope you enjoy it

It's Cheeromantic

 **Chapter Zero – The Opening**

It all seemed to occur in a series of flashes. Both Torrance and Missy had been accepted into UCLA for college and they had always looked out for one another. Missy always made jokes that since Torrance was in a long-term relationship with her brother, Torrance was kind of an honorary sister to her. Because of Torrance's excitement over it, she and Missy had gone to numerous sorority houses and they had joined one. It was something Missy had never wanted before she had met Torrance but her friendship was more important than some misplaced pride.

That was why when Missy had been grabbed outside a bar, she had seen everything in slow motion. She had used some of the skills that she had studied in gymnastics to try to get away from the guy that grabbed her. However, when two other guys decided to join in, Torrance hadn't left her friend's side and had gotten pulled into the fight.

Missy didn't know what had happened after that.

They were in the parking lot and someone had grabbed her and had their hand between her legs and then she saw Torrance getting pulled down before people were screaming about a car and then Missy watched as Torrance's body was thrown into the air and her body landed limply with her face on broken glass from beer bottles. It wasn't good. This wasn't good.

"Somebody call 911," she said before elbowing the guy hard in the chest. "Torrance?" she asked as she saw that her best friend was unconscious. "Damn it!" she said before pulling out her own phone and took a photo of the guys without them knowing it. "Come on, come on," she whispered as she tried to check over Torrance's head. There was blood. There was so much blood.

Once she had finished with the call with the dispatcher and had been told that both the police and an ambulance would be there, Missy did what she knew Torrance would want for her to do – well this and calling her parents – she called Cliff, Torrance's parents would be next.

"So, how goes it party girl," Cliff smiled as Missy could hear him tuning his guitar, he had played Torrance a number of songs since they had become a couple. "That fake ID work for you?"

"No time!" Missy said, "Torrance is hurt! She got into a road accident, meet you at the hospital."

Missy could hear Cliff's nervousness and heard the guitar drop to the ground. Cliff hadn't seemed to notice. "She's okay, right? She's going to be okay, isn't she?" he asked and Missy took a weak inhale. Cliff had decided to go to a school which had a more focused music program but he was still relatively close, he could be there in an hour or two.

"She's alive though okay is subjective," Missy said as she saw the ambulance arrive for her friend. "Can't speak. Meet at the hospital. I have to call her family," she said and Cliff nodded before putting down the phone. Missy called Bruce Shipman, Torrance's dad, she just hoped that she wouldn't have to tell him anything too bad.


	2. Chapter 1 - First Recovery

**Chapter One – First Recovery**

As soon as Cliff entered the hospital, he made his way towards Missy who had stood and had her arms open for him. She pressed her cheek to his shoulder and he pulled her in for a sibling embrace. "I was so scared," she admitted as she closed her eyes and Cliff nodded.

"How is she? Are people allowed to see her?" he said and Missy shook her head.

"Only family members right now, her family should be here soon. Thank you for coming so quickly. Torrance would really appreciate it," Missy told him and Cliff nodded before they sat down. He put his hands on his knees and looked straight ahead. He wanted to physically kill anyone who had led Torrance to feel this pain but that wouldn't do anyone any good.

Cliff took a deep breath before turning to his sister, "You have to tell me what's going on though. What kind of a road accident? How badly is she hurt? Is there surgery involved?"

Missy put a hand to his shoulder and looked down, "I don't really know anything," she admitted and Cliff stared at her. How could she not know anything? She had been there at the time of the accident, right? That had to mean that she at least knew something.

"I don't…" he shook his head and Missy sighed.

"We went to a bar, just two friends blowing off steam. We had a couple of drinks and we were heading home. I'd had one drink so I was driving. We were heading to the car and someone grabbed her. When the other two guys thought it would be funny to do some of their _sick_ and _psycho_ things. Tor intervened to help me and she got thrown into the pathway of a car which hit her. She fell into some glass and some of the shar-" Missy stopped speaking but gestured to her face. She turned to Cliff. She knew that her brother wouldn't leave her just because of some scarring.

"Do you know these guys? Their names?" he asked and Missy took a deep breath in.

"Two of them were caught by the police, I'm not sure if they're going to turn their friend in but they've got security cameras in the area. I'm sure that her family will do something about it." Cliff put his arm around his sister and allowed her to cry into his chest. She was usually incredibly strong but this worry about Torrance was more than understandable. He was feeling it too.

"How bad is her face?" he asked and Missy looked at him nervously.

"Does that matter to you?" she said as she pulled away. She knew that she was taking this anger out on Cliff and it wasn't fair. The night had been messed up enough as it was. Her brother couldn't find the physical more important, that wasn't him. He liked the small quips that Torrance made and how she cared about others and wanted to do the right things to get to her dreams.

"Of course I don't care," Cliff said as he looked at the ground, he shook his head. "I don't care but she will. I want to marry her, the way that she looks isn't what's important. I just…I really do want to marry her but now…"

"You can't leave her just because of an accident," Missy commented and Cliff looked at her, horrified that she would think that of him.

"She needs time to heal, if I move too fast and ask her now then she's going to get the wrong idea. I want to be with her when she's healing and then…when the time comes and all of this is behind us, _then_ I'll ask her if she'll marry me," Cliff said and Missy hugged him with a huge grin. This was just the type of thing that every girl wanted. She wanted her brother and best friend to end up together and live happy lives.

"She'll be thrilled," she said and Cliff nodded slowly. He just wanted the best for Torrance. He knew that asking her right now when her emotions weren't stable was a bad idea. He just wanted to be with her.

…

…..

Missy nudged Cliff as Torrance's parents finally came out from the room and he jumped back. He hadn't expected to have fallen asleep so easily. He looked at them and saw the tragic expressions on their faces and Missy had to hold him back. She knew that the panic was rising within him.

"We'll have a plastic surgeon look at her face, the doctors say that she's stable," Bruce commented and Cliff felt a cold shiver over him. "She's not staying like that."

"I mean it's ghastly, right?" Christine said as she tried to wipe away the tears from her eyes. "Yes. Yes. She's still our little girl." Cliff stared at them, watching them nervously. How could they say such a thing about their own daughter? Torrance needed comforting and understanding. They didn't need her parents treating her like a monster.

"The bandages will help but she won't have them on forever," Bruce said before seeing the two of them there. "The two of you came, that's very thoughtful."

"She's okay, right?" Cliff asked as he felt like a very small boy waking up from a horrific nightmare. "The doctors…"

"They think that she hurt her spine," Bruce told them as Cliff choked on his breath, did that mean she was paralyzed. "Had to have a surgery on her lungs," that increased his fear, "and her face is cut up. The doctor showed us pictures before the bandages were put on."

Cliff nodded slowly and saw Missy wrap an arm around herself. He knew that his sister was blaming herself for what had happened to her best friend. "Can we see her? Can we get your permission to see her?" he asked and Missy put a hand to his back wanting to steady him.

"The injuries are very bad," Christine commented, "And she has barely regained consciousness."

"But she's conscious right now?" Cliff asked before the doctor came to them. "If I get their permission, her family's permission, can I see her? I'm her boyfriend. We've been together for years."

"He really is her boyfriend," Christine nodded before looking at Bruce, "Yes. We'll give our consent."

"In that case, you can sit with her but be gentle. There is a psychological component to her recovery," he advised and Cliff smiled in relief. He wanted to prove to Torrance that he wouldn't be going anywhere and that their relationship was something that she didn't need to worry about. The doctor led him into the room with Missy following him. The beeps made him tense up as he took in the machines and then saw her looking at him. Once she saw him, she smiled and he went to her side, taking her hand in his.

"You came," she whispered under the respirator mask and Cliff sunk down next to the bed so they were at eye level.

"I came, of course I came," he told her as he kissed her hand and squeezed it. He looked at her nervous expression and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I love you," he said, "and whatever happened, we'll figure it out together. I am going to be here for you as much as you need me to be. I do love you. Unconditionally, Tor. Nothing is ever going to change that."

He saw her smile and mouth those three words too. Her eyes then turned to Missy who had wrapped both arms around herself and she was attempting to hold back the heavy sobs. Torrance had gotten hurt because of her, if Missy had just been watching where she was going and been on high alert for creeps then this wouldn't have happened. She was the one who suggested going to the bar in the first place.

"Nobody is blaming you," Cliff told her and Missy tried to not cry. Crying wasn't cool and she had always learned to use a tough exterior to mask any kind of pain. Still, she had been responsible for this and anything that might happen to Torrance in the future was because she sucked as a person.

Torrance shook her head as she reached her other hand out for her. At least she had control over her arms but that didn't mean she wouldn't be confined to a wheelchair. Missy came to her other side and sat down, fluffing the pillow up.

"We'll stay as long as you want," Cliff tried to ensure the woman that he loved and Missy nodded in agreement. The next few days, weeks, months, maybe even years would be hard but all three of them had an unconditional love for one another. At least Torrance had a good support base.

Cliff sighed, he _was_ going to marry her one day she just needed to feel strong enough to say yes.

 **End of Chapter One**

 **Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**

Thank you to **CalvinHobbesGatsby** for the review on Chapter Zero


	3. Chapter 2 - You're Not Him

**Chapter Two – You're Not Him**

Torrance sat in a wheelchair in the cold as she looked around at the university that no longer accepted her. Once upon a time she had been at the top of the world and she could pass judgment as the head cheerleader but now nobody wanted to look at her. She was alone. She had never truly been alone before and that terrified her. She heard someone's voice and looked around before seeing a hand extend with a coffee cup in it.

"I told you that I'd be back," she heard Aaron say and blinked. Why was Aaron here? She had told him that they shouldn't really see one another and there was no way she would have gotten back together with him. Wait, amnesia wasn't one of the symptoms of her condition, was it?

"I'm sorry," she smiled as she took the coffee, "Thank you."

"You know why I got that for you, right?" Aaron asked and Torrance took a sip of it as he held onto the bars of her wheelchair and pushed her ahead of him.

Torrance laughed as she put it down, "because you love me."

"Who could ever love you in the state that you're now in?" Aaron asked as his smile turned cruel and he bent down next to her with a cold light in his eyes. "I gave it to you to say goodbye," he said and Torrance looked at him confused before she felt him shove her towards a cliff that had suddenly appeared.

"I've always hated you, Tor," he said and Torrance stared at him.

"What?" she asked before Aaron's body seemed to morph into Cliff's as he stood there with pain in his eyes and she just wanted to reach out to him and try to get him to stop her from falling but he looked at her, pity in his eyes.

"I've always hated you, Tor," he told her as she fell into the abyss.

…

…

Torrance opened her eyes and started gasping for air, something was wrong, she could feel the pain in her back and as she managed to catch her breath she realized that she had been having a panic attack. She felt a hand on her shoulder, a very gentle and loving hand.

"Tor, are you okay, baby?" Cliff asked as he gazed at her lovingly and Torrance could see Missy still standing at the doorway. She was still at the hospital and it had all been a dream. He looked at her, watching her and she could see the fear in his eyes but it didn't appear that he was pitying her. "Do you need the nurse? Missy get the nurse."

"No, I'm…I'm okay," Torrance protested and Missy stopped and looked at her best friend, worried about where she was mentally this time. "I'm okay," Torrance tried to persuade them and Missy sat down. They could both see the terror in Cliff's face as he realized he wasn't capable of taking care of them both by himself. He loved both of them despite how they could sometimes be too sarcastic and too goofy.

"Are you sure?" Missy asked and saw Torrance concentrate on Cliff. The two really were in love and both of them deserved happiness. Missy was already planning out what she would say in a maid of honor toast to the two of them and she and Torrance would become sisters-in-law. It seemed like some sweet sixteen dream but if it made two important people in her life happy simultaneously, Missy fully encouraged it.

"Yes, I'm okay. I had a bad dream, that's all," Torrance told them and Cliff gently stroked her hair back and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"You want to tell us about it? Sometimes if you talk about these things then they don't seem so scary," he said and Missy laughed.

"You mean when you told Dad about your fear a giant bunny rabbit was going to stuff you inside of a top hat," she said and Cliff was about to glare at her but when Torrance laughed, he was caught by her beauty and squeezed her hand. His frustration at his sister could wait. As long as Torrance was happy, that was all that he cared about.

"You had that kind of a dream?" Torrance smiled and Cliff nodded.

"Let's just say that I was very young and we had seen a magic show and I was afraid of the rabbit coming after me. I was very concerned for the….act," Cliff tried to defend himself but both of the women knew that he must have been concerned for the safety of the rabbit at the end of the show. Torrance looked at him nervously before closing her eyes.

"I know that you're not him," she told him and Cliff blinked as he turned to Missy. Was she talking about the guy that had hurt her at the bar? No. He wasn't someone who had viciously attacked her and preyed upon her. He was her boyfriend who only wanted the best for her.

"I'm not who?" Cliff asked and Torrance kept her eyes closed.

"I had a dream where Aaron attempted to push me off of a cliff because he didn't love me and at the end, it turned out that it was you instead of him who had pu-" Torrance whispered as tears slid down her cheeks but Cliff dropped onto his knees right in front of her. He gently placed his hand on her cheek and then drew her into a passionate kiss.

"No. You're right, I would never do that to you. I'm in love with you, Torrance Shipman, I don't know how else to convey that to you. I'll write a hundred songs just for you but hopefully for now my words are enough. I love you and I am so glad that I don't have to go forward in my life without you," he said and Torrance looked at him. He really did care for her in a way that people hadn't done so before.

Most of the time, she had had people compliment her on her looks or her athletic abilities and what she could do with her body or what they could fantasize doing with her body but Cliff was different. He had come to know her fun and silly side as well as her passionate side. She was so lucky to have met him.

"I'm scared," she admitted and Missy nodded.

"Yeah, I know but we'll be there each step of the way," she tried to promise her best friend. "Of course it's scary and don't feel guilty about it. I'm scared. I'm scared of how much I hurt you," she said and Torrance took steady breaths to make sure she didn't panic again.

Cliff held onto her hand and kissed the back of it as he watched her. "I promise that I will protect you from all the dangers that befall us," he told her and Torrance squeezed his hand. He had had times in his own past where he wasn't sure about his music or what he was doing with his life but Torrance had always been his biggest fan and supporter. It wasn't a question of if he could be there for her, he _would_ be there beside her.

"How did I get lucky enough to meet a guy like you?" Torrance asked as she looked at him and Cliff smiled as he kissed her hand again. This was a more romantic and meaningful relationship than those his friend's had but he knew that he wanted to live the rest of his life with Torrance no matter what that meant. He would even live on the streets to prove to her that they should be together.

"I mean, you can honestly get some good stuff with this guy protecting you," Missy commented. "I mean, you can take him shopping, have him hold your bags, take him into a jewelry store and ask for different things. I mean, there's a lot that this guy will give to you and you only need to ask."

"I hope that I'm not just a walking, talking ATM," Cliff said with a laugh and Torrance held onto his arm. She looked at him with a desire that he would take care of her and he looked at her trying to show her that he would support her with his whole life. There would be a happy world in their future and they would definitely be able to find it despite how hard it would be.

 **End of Chapter Two**

 **Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**

 **Thank you so much to** CalvinHobbesGatsby **for their review of Chapter One**


	4. Chapter 3 - My Goddess

**Chapter Three – My Goddess**

Missy turned to her brother as they stood in the elevator of his apartment building. Cliff had taken a few jobs to get his own place near to where his band could practice and not live on campus. However, being on the third floor would make it more difficult for Torrance in her current state. Cliff had invited her to his place whilst her parents made things more comfortable for her at home. He hated how they spoke about her behind her back and he hated how they kept meeting with different plastic surgeons.

Yes, Torrance had had a face like a goddess but Cliff didn't even know how to explain that he still saw her that way. He still saw her as a beautiful girl who was out of his league. No matter how she looked underneath those bandages, he would always treasure her and think her amazing.

"Are you nervous about today?" Missy asked and Cliff sighed.

"Yeah, I tried to clean up," he said with a sigh. "I just hope that the apartment is big enough for her to feel comfortable. It must really suck for her, a former cheerleader, to be stuck in a wheelchair without the use of her legs. If I can make things easier for her then I want to." Cliff looked down. He didn't mean to be judgmental but he was still fairly young, still attempting to figure out this world for himself.

"That's good but they _are_ changing the bandages today," Missy reminded him and Cliff gave her a look as if asking why that should matter. He shook his head, looking away and knowing that she could read his thoughts just by that look. "Whatever you say, she's my best friend. I'm not going to see her any diff-"

"And you think that I would?" Cliff asked in disbelief as he exited from the elevator. "I'm not like that guy that she dated before me. I hope I have a better perspective on the world than he does. I hope that Tor never compares me to that jerk."

"Yes," Missy nodded slowly, "You _are better_ than that jerk but a girl's appearance still matters to any guy. I mean -"

Cliff stopped, putting his hand on the apartment door so that they wouldn't be able to enter. He looked into Missy's eyes wanting to make this as clear as possible. "No matter how Torrance looks under those bandages, she is beautiful to me. She's smart, sweet, funny, and adorable. She cares about other people and she cares about me. I remember when she put my song in that cheerleading routine. I will never stop being inspired by her, she will never stop being my muse. No matter how she looks. I'm in love with her. Even if she ever did anything to hurt me, I would still love her but I don't believe that she would."

Missy nodded, bowing her head as she let those words sink in. She saw Cliff's troubled and yet determined expression as he took full confidence in those words. Missy reached for his shoulder. She knew he was pained by what had happened but it wasn't in a way where he would just cast her off. "So," she tried to change the subject, "Will you let me see the ring?"

…

…

The doctor knew that something would have to break the silence in the room. The damage to Torrance's face was bad, nobody could deny that. Missy had cried as soon as she had seen it. She wouldn't dismiss her best friend just because of appearances because, as Cliff had agreed, it was her strength and passion and personality that they both loved about her. In the words of a sorority sister, Torrance might be considered a four out of ten with the deep slices and damaged skin cells to her face. A rude guy might even tell her she was ugly to her face.

Cliff however sat there patiently, silently, whilst he held her hands. The love he carried for her in his heart never swayed and the way in which he looked at her didn't change but he was struggling with what to say. The doctor looked towards Torrance and shook his head. "She was such a pre-"

"Stop it," Cliff said before Missy could comment and defend her closest friend. "Don't you dare say that she isn't beautiful. This is my girlfriend. She's beautiful. I don't care who I have to tell that to but I'll tell it to the world if I have to," he saw Torrance break down and pulled her into his arms.

"Is it that bad?" she asked and Cliff kissed the top of her head a few times.

"You're beautiful," he tried to remind her. "You're my girlfriend who I love deeply, Tor. I'm here for you, okay?" he asked and Torrance turned to Missy who had more of a sorrowful expression on her face. From the way that the former gymnast was looking, she knew that it was bad. She also knew that neither of them would abandon her just because she was hurt.

The doctor handed her a mirror and Cliff sat back. He held onto her other hand as she looked at herself, getting more pale by the moment. It was as if she was looking at somebody else, the type of girl who would never have a chance of getting on a squad. This wasn't the type of face that the crowds wanted to look at. She knew that if this wasn't Cliff, if this was Aaron, he would have broken up with her right away for not being cute enough. Cliff was sitting with her and holding her hand, his eyes never saying that he found her less than beautiful. Aaron would have made a sound of disgust and walked right out of the door.

"Once you have recovered a little more, I'll schedule the surgery," the doctor said and Torrance looked to Cliff who never broke eye contact with her.

"I'd like that," she admitted. She put the mirror down and cupped Cliff's cheek with her hand. She turned to look at him, to see if he was just pretending but he didn't appear to be. He put his hand on hers and smiled weakly. He didn't know exactly how to comfort her but he'd do the best that he could. She gently spread her fingers out over his cheek. "If you don't want a girl like me doing this, push me away," she told him and the musician blinked. A girl like her? She was the same as she had always been.

Cliff felt Torrance kiss him and he deepened the kiss, trying to show her how deep his emotions ran for her. Why would he ever push her away? He _wanted_ this, he _wanted_ her. The blonde blinked back tears as she pulled away from him. She choked back a few happy laughs. She felt relieved that she had picked a guy who loved her for her.

"Thank you," she told him before looking at the doctor. "How much longer until the bandages are changed?" she asked and the doctor sighed before getting a new roll of them. The musician watched his girlfriend as they reapplied the bandages after cleaning the wounds. He knew that she was having self-doubts and it might affect her self-esteem and motivation. He wanted to try to convince her of how strong she had always been and why he had fallen in love with her.

He loved her. He loved her unconditionally. That was what gave him most faith that they would be able to get married and have their happily ever after no matter what.

…

…

Christine stood in the kitchen looking at the food that she had had catered for that night. She would be having Torrance and Cliff over since she was home from the hospital but she doubted that the boy would give her an accurate description of her daughter's face. The phrase, only a face a mother could love wasn't appropriate this time. Her daughter would go through the surgery and she would become beautiful again, that was what she wanted for her daughter.

Christine set her glass of wine down and picked up the pamphlets which she had gathered on plastic surgery. Hopefully her daughter would listen to reason this time. She heard a knock on the door. Just because her daughter was physically disabled didn't mean she had to look disfigured as well. That boy was doing her no favors by not being honest with her.

 **End of Chapter Three**

 **Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**

Thank you very much to CalvinHobbesGatsby for reviewing Chapter Two


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